Jesus is the Way, the Truth, the Lifehttp://jesusisthewaythetruththelife.com
enMy Body, My Choicehttp://jesusisthewaythetruththelife.com/node/147
<div class="field field-name-field-image field-type-image field-label-hidden view-mode-rss"><div class="field-items"><figure class="clearfix field-item even" rel="og:image rdfs:seeAlso" resource="http://jesusisthewaythetruththelife.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/field/image/abortionprotest.jpg?itok=GSH49v_W"><img typeof="foaf:Image" class="image-style-large" src="http://jesusisthewaythetruththelife.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/field/image/abortionprotest.jpg?itok=GSH49v_W" width="270" height="480" alt="" /></figure></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden view-mode-rss"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"><p>I used to buy into the argument, "My body, my choice." It is true, you shoud have a right to do what you wish with your own body. For exampe, you can decide to put a lot of alcohol in your body every day. My question is, though, is this a good choice? With drinking large amounts of alcohol every day, there are repercussions. The alcolhol will over time destroy your liver, which is much needed for survival. Drinking large amounts of alcohol is known to often hurt others, as with drunk driving.</p>
<p>Choosing to kill your child also has repercussions. The weight of guilt over having killed your own baby doesn't go just go away over time, even though you might believe "my body, my choice." It gets buried deep and rots, just like that babies' body. It leads to depression and suicidal thoughts. Many who later have a baby find they are unable to properly bond with that child. Studies have shown that women who have had abortions have a greater risk for breast cancer. Abortion outright kills some women.</p>
<p>Also the problem with the argument "my body my choice" is that it is not really your body that we are talking about. It is a baby. It is a living human being that will be prevented from living out his or her destiny.</p>
<p>The decision to end another's life is so final, so irreversible. You can't take it back. Please consider more humane options if you don't want to have a baby. Not having sex makes sense if you don't want a child. If you are faced with an unwanted pregnancy, please consider adoption. Children are such a joy, you might even want to raise the child.</p>
</div></div></div>Sun, 30 Sep 2018 15:58:59 +0000Kat Kanning147 at http://jesusisthewaythetruththelife.comhttp://jesusisthewaythetruththelife.com/node/147#commentsCult of Victimhood, Part 2http://jesusisthewaythetruththelife.com/node/146
<div class="field field-name-field-image field-type-image field-label-hidden view-mode-rss"><div class="field-items"><figure class="clearfix field-item even" rel="og:image rdfs:seeAlso" resource="http://jesusisthewaythetruththelife.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/field/image/Victim_0.jpg?itok=lU03bxvC"><img typeof="foaf:Image" class="image-style-large" src="http://jesusisthewaythetruththelife.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/field/image/Victim_0.jpg?itok=lU03bxvC" width="374" height="263" alt="" /></figure></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden view-mode-rss"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"><p>There are many reasons why you would not want to glory in your own victimhood. Some I mentioned from part one: </p>
<p>Most healthy cultures lived by the idea, "What doesn't kill me makes me stronger."<br />
Forgiveness is a healthy trait, whether you are a Christian or not, and we Christians are commanded to forgive one another. Focusing on being a victim pretty much rules out having forgiven the person.<br />
Christians are told to count it all joy, whatever trials we go through.</p>
<p>But I wanted to add another big reason why you wouldn't want to go around identifying yourself by your victim status. Have you ever been around someone who complains all the time? I don't think it's pleasant...your mileage may vary. Contrast with someone who is thankful. Being around someone who appreciates what you do, or is grateful for what they have...it is so different than being around someone who complains all the time. By focusing on the victim status, you would by definition be complaining about your unfair treatment. While someone may actually have treated you badly, even appallingly badly, making that your identifying trait can't be healthy. "This devastatingly bad thing happened to me, but I choose to be grateful for the good things that have happened to me." VS. "I am a victim. Pity poor me while I pity myself."</p>
<p>For Christians, God instructed us "In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you." -- 1 Thessalonians 5<br />
Let them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for mankind, for he satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things. --Psalm 107<br />
Of course, there are many other verses that speak of how we should be grateful to God. But when we go around saying, "Oh poor me, this bad thing happened to me." we are not being grateful. Is what you are going through worse than what Jesus endured on the cross to save you? He had most of his skin flayed off...making him look not even human anymore. He had hands and feet nailed through. He hung there in agony for hours. Any he did all that, not because he had done anything wrong, but because WE sinned, and he wished to pay the penalty for our sins, so we wouldn't have to.</p>
<p>So before you label yourself as a downtrodden woman, or minority race, or an oppressed class, ask yourself: "Do I want to be a complaining person, or a thankful person? Do I want to be grateful, or living in self-pity?"</p>
<p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IRLxugEtqx8">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IRLxugEtqx8</a></p>
</div></div></div>Tue, 11 Sep 2018 22:58:09 +0000Kat Kanning146 at http://jesusisthewaythetruththelife.comhttp://jesusisthewaythetruththelife.com/node/146#commentsCult of Victimhoodhttp://jesusisthewaythetruththelife.com/node/145
<div class="field field-name-field-image field-type-image field-label-hidden view-mode-rss"><div class="field-items"><figure class="clearfix field-item even" rel="og:image rdfs:seeAlso" resource="http://jesusisthewaythetruththelife.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/field/image/Victim.jpg?itok=zt-5aX0a"><img typeof="foaf:Image" class="image-style-large" src="http://jesusisthewaythetruththelife.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/field/image/Victim.jpg?itok=zt-5aX0a" width="374" height="263" alt="" /></figure></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden view-mode-rss"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"><p>Today I would like to address this new cult of victimhood that is becoming so prevalent in our society. People are scrambling to become part of a victimized class -- women, black, gay, etc. etc. etc. The more victimized groups you can belong to, the more special treatment you can receive. This is a problem in many ways. If you go through life viewing yourself primarily as a victim, it stunts your growth. I was listening to an interview with a guy who'd written a book on the ideas that healthy societies have believed throughout human history, and one such idea was, "What doesn't kill me makes me stronger." Surely we have lost this ideal that trials and tribulations are opportunities for growth. </p>
<p>More importantly, viewing yourself primarily as a victim will impede your relationship with God. A necessary part of salvation is coming to the knowledge that YOU have done wrong, not dwelling on what others have done to you. In fact, God says we must forgive one another. If we are focusing on our victimhood status, I don't think we have truly forgiven the person.</p>
<p>We have this tendency to think, "I'm a good person." But in God's view, we have all sinned. We lie. We cheat each other. We steal. We commit all kinds of sexual sins. The Bible is clear that each person will be judged for his own sins. We won't be judged for how others have wronged us. </p>
<p>For a Christian, it is clear that we must not take up this mantle of victimhood. We are told to be joyful about the trials which come our way. It is also very clear that we must forgive, as we have been forgiven. Consider the following verses:</p>
<p>---</p>
<p>For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. --Mattew 6</p>
<p>---</p>
<p>Then Peter came to him and asked, “Lord, how often should I forgive someone who sins against me? Seven times?”</p>
<p>“No, not seven times,” Jesus replied, “but seventy times seven!</p>
<p>“Therefore, the Kingdom of Heaven can be compared to a king who decided to bring his accounts up to date with servants who had borrowed money from him. In the process, one of his debtors was brought in who owed him millions of dollars. He couldn’t pay, so his master ordered that he be sold—along with his wife, his children, and everything he owned—to pay the debt.</p>
<p>“But the man fell down before his master and begged him, ‘Please, be patient with me, and I will pay it all.’ Then his master was filled with pity for him, and he released him and forgave his debt.</p>
<p>“But when the man left the king, he went to a fellow servant who owed him a few thousand dollars. He grabbed him by the throat and demanded instant payment.</p>
<p>“His fellow servant fell down before him and begged for a little more time. ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay it,’ he pleaded. But his creditor wouldn’t wait. He had the man arrested and put in prison until the debt could be paid in full.</p>
<p>“When some of the other servants saw this, they were very upset. They went to the king and told him everything that had happened. Then the king called in the man he had forgiven and said, ‘You evil servant! I forgave you that tremendous debt because you pleaded with me. Shouldn’t you have mercy on your fellow servant, just as I had mercy on you?’ Then the angry king sent the man to prison to be tortured until he had paid his entire debt.</p>
<p>“That’s what my heavenly Father will do to you if you refuse to forgive your brothers and sisters from your heart.” --Matthew 18</p>
<p>---</p>
<p>Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. --James 1</p>
</div></div></div>Mon, 10 Sep 2018 12:27:42 +0000Kat Kanning145 at http://jesusisthewaythetruththelife.comhttp://jesusisthewaythetruththelife.com/node/145#commentsThe Sacrifice of a Sonhttp://jesusisthewaythetruththelife.com/node/144
<div class="field field-name-field-image field-type-image field-label-hidden view-mode-rss"><div class="field-items"><figure class="clearfix field-item even" rel="og:image rdfs:seeAlso" resource="http://jesusisthewaythetruththelife.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/field/image/sacrifice.jpg?itok=whXUhosi"><img typeof="foaf:Image" class="image-style-large" src="http://jesusisthewaythetruththelife.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/field/image/sacrifice.jpg?itok=whXUhosi" width="480" height="336" alt="" /></figure></div></div>Mon, 03 Sep 2018 21:37:40 +0000Kat Kanning144 at http://jesusisthewaythetruththelife.comhttp://jesusisthewaythetruththelife.com/node/144#commentsGrievous Billboardshttp://jesusisthewaythetruththelife.com/node/142
<div class="field field-name-field-image field-type-image field-label-hidden view-mode-rss"><div class="field-items"><figure class="clearfix field-item even" rel="og:image rdfs:seeAlso" resource="http://jesusisthewaythetruththelife.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/field/image/abortionisselfcare.jpg?itok=lwmhq2eP"><img typeof="foaf:Image" class="image-style-large" src="http://jesusisthewaythetruththelife.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/field/image/abortionisselfcare.jpg?itok=lwmhq2eP" width="480" height="357" alt="" /></figure></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden view-mode-rss"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"><p>These are real billboards that I have seen in the Dallas area recently that caused me to grieve. Are we really so narcissistic? Have we really become this pathetic? Come quickly Lord Jesus!</p>
<p>Abortion is Self-Care</p>
<p>I saw this one in a poor, predominately black neighborhood in Dallas yesterday. It's right by where we work on I45. It appeals to the me-first culture that is so prevalent now. You gotta think of yourself first. Look out for number 1. It completely fails to mention that having an abortion will destroy you emotionally. You cannot murder your own baby and remain unscathed. I know, it almost killed me with the guilt and remorse. I killed my babies, and that can never be undone. By the grace of God, I was saved from hell by the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross. Thank you Jesus for making me clean again and setting me free!</p>
<p>Also, you gotta wonder, who is trying to get black women to murder their babies? I don't see billboards like this in white areas of the city. We know that the founder of planned parenthood wanted to rid the world of the black people. Margaret Sanger was an avowed racist. </p>
<p>Abortion is not self-care. It is murder. It is not taking care of your family. It is killing your family.</p>
<p>Ladies! Double your Closet Space!</p>
<p>That sounds nice, huh? Have some more closet space...cool. But then you realize that the billboard is promoting divorce. It was put up by some divorce lawyers whose clients are mainly women. No words for this. The self-centeredness of actually considering divorce in order to get more closet space. I want to throw up. I guess no one ever accused lawyers of having a soul.</p>
<p>Imagine if You Were Denied Health Care Because of who you Love</p>
<p>Boo-hoo...I don't have health care paid for by someone else either. But I'm not running around pretending that I'm some sort of victim because of it. I pay for my own goods and services. I am a grown up.</p>
</div></div></div>Thu, 30 Aug 2018 13:27:13 +0000Kat Kanning142 at http://jesusisthewaythetruththelife.comhttp://jesusisthewaythetruththelife.com/node/142#commentsThe Next Stephttp://jesusisthewaythetruththelife.com/node/141
<div class="field field-name-field-image field-type-image field-label-hidden view-mode-rss"><div class="field-items"><figure class="clearfix field-item even" rel="og:image rdfs:seeAlso" resource="http://jesusisthewaythetruththelife.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/field/image/NAMBLA.jpg?itok=6sm6-OCz"><img typeof="foaf:Image" class="image-style-large" src="http://jesusisthewaythetruththelife.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/field/image/NAMBLA.jpg?itok=6sm6-OCz" width="480" height="358" alt="NAMBLA magazine cover" /></figure></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden view-mode-rss"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"><p>The Next Step in God's Kingdom</p>
<p>God and His Spirit lead followers gradually along. He gives them the next step in their progress. Each step leads them to be more like Himself. His attributes are holiness, goodness, truth, self-sacrifice, lovingkindness, patience, longsuffering and many more. Each step that God leads his followers along helps them eliminate the opposite from their lives, and increase in God-emulating attributes. So slowly He will reveal to each individual how he's being greedy, or impatient, or untruthful and He will help them replace those things with generosity, patience, honesty...</p>
<p>The Next Step in Satan's World System</p>
<p>Satan and his followers encourage those entangled in the world system to new steps along the way to complete debachery. For example in this country, we had the sexual revolution of the '60s, which lead to the destruction of marriage, unplanned pregnancies, abortions, sexual diseases. The next step was LGBT rights. Now the next step Satan is trying to lead society is that the rape of little children is OK. I actually heard a TED talk saying how we need to sympathize with these poor pedophiles. </p>
<p>Where will you draw the line? Will it be when YOUR child is raped by pedophiles so badly that he wll have to wear diapers for the rest of his life? Or is there no line in the sand for you? Do you love your own sin so much that you will continue to go along with Satan's world system, no matter what debachery it brings? Will you continue with your mindless bleating of "Love is love" until rapists and murderers are given rights to engage in their filth openly?</p>
<p>Please watch this eye-opening documentary on the Rockefeller funded program to normalize pedophia:<br />
The Kinsey Syndrome<br /><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j9ztmp1yDq8">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j9ztmp1yDq8</a></p>
<p>Photo: NAMBLA (National Man Boy Love Association) magazine cover depicting two men cornering terrified boy.</p>
</div></div></div>Wed, 22 Aug 2018 09:58:50 +0000Kat Kanning141 at http://jesusisthewaythetruththelife.comhttp://jesusisthewaythetruththelife.com/node/141#commentsIt's all about the question, "Who is God?"http://jesusisthewaythetruththelife.com/node/138
<div class="field field-name-field-image field-type-image field-label-hidden view-mode-rss"><div class="field-items"><figure class="clearfix field-item even" rel="og:image rdfs:seeAlso" resource="http://jesusisthewaythetruththelife.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/field/image/bow-down-and-worship.jpg?itok=v2i_cSCe"><img typeof="foaf:Image" class="image-style-large" src="http://jesusisthewaythetruththelife.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/field/image/bow-down-and-worship.jpg?itok=v2i_cSCe" width="424" height="283" alt="" /></figure></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden view-mode-rss"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"><p>On a world scale, the question dominating world events is: Who is God?</p>
<p>Will the answer be God and His kingdom: TRUTH, justice, mercy, love, forgiveness, humility, family, generosity.</p>
<p>Will it be Satan and his kingdom? Satan's kingdom consists of: LIES, deception, hatred, greed, revenge, lust, perversion, murder, envy, false religion (i.e. Islam, Buddhism, New Age, Hinduism, alien worship...). It is all designed to separate you from the one true God, the Creator, the God of Abraham, Issac and Jacob. It is all designed to keep you part of Satan's kingdom.</p>
<p>Why are so many concerned about who will control this tiny slip of land called Israel? Why fight over Jerusalem? It is over the question, Who is God? Will it be the One who put His name on Jerusalem, the One who made the place, who gave it to the Hebrews? Or will it be Satan the usurper?</p>
<p>When a war is fought over oil, will greed, i.e. Satan's kingdom win, or will it be the God of mercy, forgiveness, generosity?</p>
<p>On a personal scale, the most important question you can answer is: Who is God?</p>
<p>Will your focus be lust? Will you obsess over the Kardashians and narcissim and materialism? Will money be your god, and work for ever more material wealth? To be a part of this world's system (set up by Satan) is to be a part of something temporary and meaningless.</p>
<p>To be a part of God's kingdom, you let go of the fleeting pleasures and work toward the long lasting, the stable. It's like having a series of one night stands vs. working toward a loving marriage lasting a lifetime. The one is easy, but leaves you empty, The work and the effort of the latter makes it all the more worthwhile and meaningful. In God's kingdom, one's focus is on the eternal.</p>
<p>Satan's kindom says Do what thou will is the whole of the law.</p>
<p>God's kingdom says Respect God, respect your parents, don't envy, don't lust, don't steal, don't murder.</p>
<p>Which do you think it more stable? </p>
<p>If you wish to become a part of God's kingdom, just tell Him so. Pray and tell God that you will follow Him. Ask Him to forgive you for what you've done while in Satan's kingdom. Repent of those things, meaning turn away from the things of Satan's kingdom. Read God's word, the Bible.</p>
</div></div></div>Sun, 22 Jul 2018 11:05:44 +0000Kat Kanning138 at http://jesusisthewaythetruththelife.comhttp://jesusisthewaythetruththelife.com/node/138#commentsA Funny Thing Happened Todayhttp://jesusisthewaythetruththelife.com/node/137
<div class="field field-name-field-image field-type-image field-label-hidden view-mode-rss"><div class="field-items"><figure class="clearfix field-item even" rel="og:image rdfs:seeAlso" resource="http://jesusisthewaythetruththelife.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/field/image/tired-man-emphysema-pulling-his-oxygen-tank-illustration-black-cart-behind-him-113654451.jpg?itok=1Xw0Mk60"><img typeof="foaf:Image" class="image-style-large" src="http://jesusisthewaythetruththelife.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/field/image/tired-man-emphysema-pulling-his-oxygen-tank-illustration-black-cart-behind-him-113654451.jpg?itok=1Xw0Mk60" width="411" height="480" alt="" /></figure></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden view-mode-rss"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"><p>I was sitting at a traffic light in a small town in Indiana today. A car pulled up next to me, and ahead of me a bit. I saw through the open window the man in the car passenger seat had oxygen tubes, and looked real sick. He was quite an older man. I started praying silently for healing for him. Immediately he turned around and stared at me. He wasn't moving around very easily and turning around to look at me was hard for him. I smiled at him, but he wasn't friendly at all. They drove away, and I changed what I was praying a little -- for deliverance from whatever in him was freaking out because of a prayer.</p>
</div></div></div>Wed, 18 Jul 2018 01:20:31 +0000Kat Kanning137 at http://jesusisthewaythetruththelife.comhttp://jesusisthewaythetruththelife.com/node/137#commentsYou can never be good enough to get to Heaven.http://jesusisthewaythetruththelife.com/node/136
<div class="field field-name-field-image field-type-image field-label-hidden view-mode-rss"><div class="field-items"><figure class="clearfix field-item even" rel="og:image rdfs:seeAlso" resource="http://jesusisthewaythetruththelife.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/field/image/good_works2.gif?itok=KbTS8h2I"><img typeof="foaf:Image" class="image-style-large" src="http://jesusisthewaythetruththelife.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/field/image/good_works2.gif?itok=KbTS8h2I" width="480" height="202" alt="" /></figure></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden view-mode-rss"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"><p><em> Sing to him; sing praise to him; tell about all his wondrous works!</em> </p>
<p>There are many who believe that if they are basically nice people, do stuff to help people, that they will make it to heaven. The Bible, which is the record of God's interaction with His chosen people, Israel, contradicts that belief. Jesus said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." It is Jesus and HIS work on the cross that saves people and allows them into heaven. We all have sinned, and Jesus paid the penalty for our sins on the cross. He died, paying our death sentence. When we go through Jesus, put our faith totally in Him, then our sins are forgiven and we can entered eternal life in heaven. Without Him and the blood He shed for us, we must pay the penalty for our sins ourselves, and that penalty is death and hell.</p>
<p>A careful reading of the Bible clearly shows the importance of God and HIS works. Satan the deceiver and men seek to raise themselves to the level of God. The end of those who seek to exult themselves above God is clear:</p>
<p><em> How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.</em> </p>
<p>Most of the world's religions teach that if you do enough good works, you will be OK. But does that even make sense? In our world, a person who commits a crime cannot offset it by doing good. For example a murderer cannot be let go as innocent if he has helped 10 old ladies cross the road. A rapist is not let go because he helped feed the poor. No, when justice is done in this world, a criminal is punished for his crimes.</p>
<p>So much more so in the next world. God is perfect in justice. His definition of what is a crime is much more strict, because of His perfection. God judges what is in our hearts, and not just our actions. Jesus said that if you even look at a woman with lust, you have committed adultery with her already in your heart. God would not be just if he left criminals unpunished.</p>
<p>The Apostle Paul made it clear that salvation comes from faith in Jesus and what he did for us, and not our works. Salvation is a gift from God, by His grace, and not something you can ever earn by your own power. Consider the following verses:</p>
<p><em> If Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about—but not before God. For what does the Scripture say? Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him for righteousness. Now to the one who works, pay is not credited as a gift, but as something owed. But to the one who does not work, but believes on him who declares the ungodly to be righteous, his faith is credited for righteousness.</em></p>
<p><em>In the same way, then, there is also at the present time a remnant chosen by grace. Now if by grace, then it is not by works; otherwise grace ceases to be grace.</em></p>
<p><em>But Israel, pursuing the law of righteousness, has not achieved the righteousness of the law. Why is that? Because they did not pursue it by faith, but as if it were by works. They stumbled over the stumbling stone. As it is written,<br />
Look, I am putting a stone in Zion to stumble over<br />
and a rock to trip over,<br />
and the one who believes on him<br />
will not be put to shame.</em></p>
<p><em>...yet because we know that a person is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we ourselves have believed in Christ Jesus. This was so that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law, because by the works of the law no human being will be justified. </em> </p>
<p>The person who seeks to enter heaven by his keeping of the 10 commandments, or by his good deeds, has his focus on himself and what he does, and not God and what He has done. He is seeking to pay for a gift. How would you feel if you brought a nice present to your friend, and the friend tries to give you money for what you meant as a gift? The salvation of mankind is one of God's greatest works. How can we try and give our paltry payment for something that is so magnificent? It's like someone *gives* you a Rolls Royce and you offer to pay with a couple pennies. The correct response would be awe at what is done for you, and much gratitude. What could you give that would pay for the death of the God of all creation?</p>
<p>If you could earn your way into heaven, then God would be giving you salvation as just payment. But the Bible makes it clear that our good works add up to worse than nothing. “All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away." So many examples in the Bible make it clear that God seeks us to rely on Him, and not on ourselves. It's like the whole point. When the Israelites tried to go to war without God's instruction and backing, they were soundly defeated.</p>
<p><em> Thus says the Lord: “Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength, whose heart turns away from the Lord. He is like a shrub in the desert, and shall not see any good come. He shall dwell in the parched places of the wilderness, in an uninhabited salt land. “Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose trust is the Lord. He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit.” The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it? </em> </p>
<p><em> Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. </em> </p>
<p><em> And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom. For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God. ...<br /></em><br />
It is literal self-rightousness to rely on your own works to get to heaven. Instead, put your trust in the one and only God, the Creator of all, and His one path He gave us to heaven. That path is to realize what Jesus did for us on the cross, and to put our trust in Jesus, and repent of our wrongdoing. To trust Jesus is to trust that what He did on the cross is sufficient to pay the penalty for our sins. To trust Jesus is to realize that our own good works are not sufficient to let us off the hook. Rely on God (not man). Give glory to God (not man). Trust in God (not man). Jesus is The Way, The Truth, The Life, and no one will come to the father except through Him.</p>
</div></div></div>Sun, 08 Jul 2018 02:02:06 +0000Kat Kanning136 at http://jesusisthewaythetruththelife.comhttp://jesusisthewaythetruththelife.com/node/136#commentsEverything is Stacked Against Ushttp://jesusisthewaythetruththelife.com/node/135
<div class="field field-name-field-image field-type-image field-label-hidden view-mode-rss"><div class="field-items"><figure class="clearfix field-item even" rel="og:image rdfs:seeAlso" resource="http://jesusisthewaythetruththelife.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/field/image/Beat_The_Odds.jpg?itok=h6ABVUgD"><img typeof="foaf:Image" class="image-style-large" src="http://jesusisthewaythetruththelife.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/field/image/Beat_The_Odds.jpg?itok=h6ABVUgD" width="480" height="480" alt="" /></figure></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden view-mode-rss"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"><p>Whenever someone comes to believe the Truth of the Bible, it is an honest to goodness miracle. There is so much stacked against people seeing the truth, especially here in the US. We are inundated with lies. Schools indoctrinate us into evolution, and globe earth, and billions of years, and scientism. The television reinforces what the schools teach, and show you how you can have your best life now, and sin without repercussions. Political correctness of society tries to mold people into the shape the elite wish them to be -- unquestioning and conforming to the mad sinning commercial culture. Deviation from the political correctness means enduring ridicule or other persecution. Around the world, believing the Truth of the Bible could mean physical persecution. According to a Fox News report, nearly 1 million Christians have been killed for their faith in the last 10 years. Many more are tortured, inprisoned, beated, burned out of homes/churches. </p>
<p>Satan is called the prince of the power of the air. He is in control of the airwaves. He basically controls every leader of every country of this flat earth. His purpose is to deceive and keep mankind from achieving what God meant them to be: humble servants giving glory to the God who made them, having dominion over the earth and all that is in it. The lies people have to wade through to get to the Truth are far too numerous to list.</p>
<p>What is this truth that the world system and their leader Satan are going to so much trouble to hide? There is a God who created us. He made a beautiful enclosed earth for us, with a sun and moon and stars inside for seasons and times. He meant for mankind to have eternal life in harmony with Himself. That God, who gave us everything, also requires things of us. He requires obedience. Rulebreaking aka sin is punishable by death. Adam and Eve, the first people, sinned and brought death into the world. God allowed sin to be temporarily paid for through bloodshed. Animals were sacrificed to pay for the sins of the people. For the Passover, a perfect lamb was selected and kept in the home for a time. The family got attatched to the adorable little animal in that time. It became a wretch to slay the animal after that. They really had to feel like they were giving up something precious. God, in His infinite wisdom, provided a perfect sacrifice to pay the penalty for mankind's many sins. He gave up the most precious thing in the Universe. God came down and was born of a virgin. Jesus lived a perfect sinless life. He allowed himself to be sacrificed on the cross. Three days later, He rose from the grave. This one sacrifice paid for all the sins of mankind. Now, when one recognizes what Jesus has done for him, and repents of sin, that is turns away from sin and asks for forgiveness, then one can be born again and inherit eternal life.</p>
<p>Following after Satan's lies means forfeiting all the above, and sharing in the punishment designed for Satan and his fallen angels: eternity in the lake of fire.</p>
<p>The odds are stacked against us, but God. But God is so much more powerful than Satan or any deceiver in this world. God can change the most horrible sinner's heart, from one of rebellion to one of repentence and gratitude. He did with me. I was a most vile sinner: a murdering, lying, fornicator. I hurt so many people in my rebellion. I grieved God too. I was an atheist most of my adult life, but God changed me forever. Now I want to live for Him, and give Him glory. He saved me out of the horrible mess I'd made of my life, and He saved me from Hell.</p>
<p>It is said that all of heaven rejoices every time a sinner repents. Will you bring tears, or rejoicing to those in heaven?</p>
</div></div></div>Tue, 03 Jul 2018 19:39:27 +0000Kat Kanning135 at http://jesusisthewaythetruththelife.comhttp://jesusisthewaythetruththelife.com/node/135#comments